Ace tech Kristan pumped for Bode Miller's slalom

With the first World Cup slalom races of the 2006-07 season looming this weekend, Bode Miller’s technician is reluctant to make any predictions on how Head’s golden boy will do on his new sticks, but he did say that the skis are the best Miller has had for slalom throughout the latter half of his racing career.
    Robbie Kristan, who lives in Slovenia, is starting his sixth season working with the American all-rounder. Since Miller signed a new equipment contract with Head last spring, both skier and technician have had a very active role in the development of Miller’s custom-refined skis.
    On Wednesday, Kristan was at the Head factory, on the border in northwestern Austria, packing and preparing a quiver of six pairs of Miller’s slalom skis to bring to Finland for the men’s race Saturday in Levi.
  

WITH THE FIRST World Cup slalom races of the 2006-07 season looming this weekend, Bode Miller’s technician is reluctant to make any predictions on how Head’s golden boy will do on his new sticks, but he did say that the skis are the best Miller has had for slalom throughout the latter half of his racing career.
    Robbie Kristan, who lives in Slovenia, is starting his sixth season working with the American all-rounder. Since Miller signed a new equipment contract with Head last spring, both skier and technician have had a very active role in the development of Miller’s custom-refined skis.
    On Wednesday, Kristan was at the Head factory, on the border in northwestern Austria, packing and preparing a quiver of six pairs of Miller’s slalom skis to bring to Finland for the men’s race Sunday in Levi.
     “This weekend, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kristan said. “I’m not going to say anything. I definitely think he can do really, really well. He’s starting with No. 31, so it depends if the course is going to be prepared really good. It’s amazing how different it is to ski with that number.”
    As for Miller’s slalom skiing in general, which Kristan admits has been the racer’s worst discipline of late (he has completed only four races in the last two years, winning one and placing sixth, eighth and 18th), the technician believes the tide is about to turn.
    “For slalom this season, I’ll be bummed if he doesn’t win,” Kristan said. “In slalom and GS, as far as [Head] is concerned, if I had to compare them to any other company [Miller has been] with, I’d say it is the most comparable with the Fischer slalom ski. Until now, that was the best ski we ever had. With Head, slalom skis are really, really good. It shouldn’t be a problem to win some.”
    Miller is one of four U.S. men scheduled to compete in Levi this weekend along with Ted Ligety, Jimmy Cochran and Tom Rothrock. The women lined up for Saturday’s race include Lindsey Kildow, Resi Stiegler and Sterling Grant. All skiers except for Miller spent the last few days training in Colorado. Kristan said Miller decided to forego Colorado training to focus on treatment for his knee, which the racer hopes to keep healthy for the season.